North Delta transit users will have to wait longer before having more covered bus shelters.
During a sometimes heated debate at the Nov. 18 council meeting, a motion by Mayor George Harvie to have staff look at where covered shelters can be added was defeated in a 4-3 vote.
Noting North Delta’s rapid population growth compared to South Delta, Harvie’s motion asked for staff to be directed to review the current transit routes in North Delta that have the highest boarding numbers to identify opportunities for the installation of bus shelters.
Staff would report back outlining the findings and recommendations for a program for additional installations for budget consideration.
His motion also noted that the wait times on the bus routes in North Delta, excluding the Scott Road Rapid Bus Service, can be lengthy, more than 15 minutes, and current bus shelter locations on Scott Road, 72nd Avenue, 116th Street, 112th Street have large numbers of transit riders waiting for transit services without a shelter from the elements.
His motion comes after a recent successful motion by Coun. Jennifer Johal to have staff review locations for bus shelter installations in Delta’s industrial areas.
Coun. Dylan Kruger insisted that overall infrastructure and service needs must be reviewed for the community, which would include bus shelters.
Kruger later put forward his own motion that is to be discussed at an upcoming council meeting.
“I Think there’s interest in a much larger program, a much more comprehensive audit of the services that are provided…what we actually need here is a comprehensive study how we are going to accommodate growth in North Delta. Bus shelters are a very small part of that, but I bet you if you knocked on doors in North Delta as I have, it wouldn’t crack the top ten list. We have to ensure that we are planning holistically…”explained Kruger.
Johal agreed that an overall review of service needs should be undertaken, saying focusing only on bus shelters would be a missed opportunity for a broader, more inclusive plan.
Coun. Rod Binder noted he was concerned the motion could be viewed as divisive if South Delta was not included in a bus shelter review.
Coun. Alicia Guichon said she supports the motion, saying “this one we can handle now,” but also wants an overall, holistic shelter review to include all of Delta.
Coun. Jessie Dosanjh said more bus shelters are needed now, and not later, as students and those going to work are waiting in the rain.
Harvie said he was disappointed that transit users could end up waiting a year of two before getting some relief from the elements, if at all.
“When you drive down the street now, there is no bush shelters. I don’t see why we want to wait to try to do something to improve…for the people riding the buses in North Delta. You drive from 96th Street to 72nd Street and there’s just two bus shelters…I don’t see why we can’t move forward and ask staff to start looking at a program to provide more shelters in those areas that don’t have any,” said Harvie.
Kruger countered the city needs “to do it right” with a fulsome review of various needs that’s thoughtful and “not on a whim.”
The motion was defeated with Harvie, Guichon and Dosanjh voting in favour, while Kruger, Binder, Johal and Coun. Dan Boisvert in the negative.
